I have an 84 Ranger with a 302 in it. Never driven it in rain, until Friday. Roads were wet, a few puddles, and it wasn't raining that hard considering Isabel was supposed to be unleashing all her fury. Found myself in a situation several times, with the truck pulling sharply to the right when I hit water at 45mph/70kms. Truck tracks straight on dry roads, never pulls even in tractor trailor ruts in slow lanes.

Tires are p205/70r/15. Stock tires with truck were p195/75r/14. I drove my Mustang up some of the same stretches of hwy later, at a faster speed of 75mph/120kms, with wider tires (p225/65r/15), and felt no change in traction. Both vehicles have new tires as of May this year. Similar tread design on front tires, with 3/8" wide groves for channeling water. Truck suspension is really tight, and handles extremely well with the extra weight of the 302, on gravel roads, or paved backroads with pothole patches.

Anyone had similar situation happen, or know whats going on?

Thanks guys.

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we get old too soon, and smart too late.

you have bigger tires on the truck its gonna pull when you hit the water b/c when your tier hits the road it is goin 0mph so it buckles up at the front of the tire and when you get goin fast you have a buldge in front, when you hit water it obscures the direction of the tires and makes them fall into the path of the road not the way you want them to be...

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1999 exploder sport dropped on 20"
still hear me commin up the block

We had a heavy rain again today, and the 84 Ranger did it again. So I borrowed a friends 86 with 2.9 in it and drove the same speed as last time, through the same area. It's running p235/75r/15 tires with less tread than mine, and didn't pull. Took the Mustang out again, at 120kms and it didn't pull.

Tire size on my Ranger is only 10mm wider than stock, so larger tire size argument isn't the answer.

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we get old too soon, and smart too late.

maybe somthin in the steering

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1999 exploder sport dropped on 20"
still hear me commin up the block

that sucks sounds like something with the steering but i no when i hit heavy puddles of water with my lifted ranger it will pull harder than when i drive a car but they both with pull a little just hold tight of the wheel when its raining or just don't drive in rain.

mine does it and i m about 4 inches off the ground

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1999 exploder sport dropped on 20"
still hear me commin up the block

Punctuation is our Friend!

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Proud owner of a Black 2003 Ford Ranger EDGE . Regular cab, 3.0l, 5spd manual, 2wd, 4.10's. Added Security, tint, step bars, Gibson SS Cat-Back exhaust, adjusted bumper, fog light mod, Jensen 75x4 watt amplifier, (4) Polk Audio EX368 Speakers, 200W MTX Amp driving a Sony XS-L101P5 10" sub in a custom box.
Future:
Line-X Spray-in Bedliner, ARE LSII Tonneau, JBA Ceramic Headers, and possibly a 3" Body Lift.
-= PICS OF MY TRUCK =-

ok!!!!!!!!! srory if my garemr is a ltitle msesed up

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1999 exploder sport dropped on 20"
still hear me commin up the block

I've had the same thing happen to me in my plain jane 98 4-cyl. I've learned to just let off the gas a hair and it will track through with a small pull. Water is a funny thing.

water likes to bring you out to play.I have to watch it in the Merc. Boat. Of cource tire size and tread depth platys a big roll

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Down the two lane blacktop.
Oldskool Is Kool :thumbsup:
Ford Man From Way Back



Check out: hotrodhotline.com for my pictures.

i found myself in a similair situation called a ROCK WALL.
$1200 later here i am

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Josh Ball
2001 Ford Ranger EDGE
3.0L V6
4X2
Bright Island Blue

Got my second Ranger project out of the shop before Christmas, with a 302. Lots of driving experience in rain and puddles this spring, and it doesn't hydroplane like my first Ranger. So I guess it could be in the steering, or maybe the alignment.

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we get old too soon, and smart too late.